The variety of Google-based chat applications can be really confusing. The search giant has finally decided to end the complexity, starting by killing its Google Talk service. The service is being replaced by Google Hangouts.
Google introduced Google Talk (Gchat / GTalk) in 2005, making it one of the oldest messaging applications out there. Now that Google Talk is no longer functional, users will be forced to switch to Hangouts. Chats in the first one will automatically be transferred to the latter, so you do not need to worry about that. Switching to Hangouts will not be so bad as it caters to the modern requirements of an individual with features like chat bubbles and GIF support.
Google in March this year also announced that it has decided to end support for SMS providers in Hangouts. Users can make use of Android messages. The company has even attempted to add new features to Hangouts, such as the videoconferencing service, making it similar to other business services such as Slack or Microsoft Team.
It seems like this is just the beginning of Google’s initiative to make all their services simple and easy to use. There are still a number of Google-based chat services that fit the individual needs of one. The last example of it is Google Allo.
